1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 689 The "Little Hand" Reaching the Mughal Empire

July 1653, 7, Surat, India.

Huang Zijia, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Representative of Qi State and Shaoqing of Honglu Temple, has been in Surat for more than half a month, but he has not obtained a pass to Agra, the capital of the Mughal Empire, issued by the local governor.Whenever members of the mission went to the Governor's Palace to inquire about the itinerary, the Governor's Palace officials always refused with various excuses.This made Huang Zijia feel very anxious. At the same time, he also had a little worry about the mission plan. He might not be able to successfully establish formal diplomatic relations with this empire with a huge population and wealth.

Huang Zijia's six-member mission was ordered by the king and the cabinet to go to the Mughal Empire, preparing to formally establish diplomatic relations with the empire, and hoped to sign a cooperation treaty with the emperor Shah Jahan so that Qi The state can obtain more commercial power, and also strive for more commercial interests for the merchants of the Qi state.

If possible, Qi State will try its best to get permission to establish a trading station in a port city on the northwestern coast of India, so as to further deepen the business exchanges between the two sides.

The mission took two armed merchant ships under the banner of the Indian Trading Company. Under the escort of the Han-Dutch Joint Fleet, the mission lasted more than 50 days. Arrived in Surat on June 6.

When setting foot on the Surat Wharf, in order to fully demonstrate the dignity and power of the Qi State, Huang Zijia ordered the sailors of the two accompanying armed merchant ships to wear gray military uniforms, and lined up on both sides with full armor, forming a parade queue.

Afterwards, Huang Zijia and other officials from Honglu Temple in Qi State walked through the queue majestically, preparing to meet the local officials who came to greet them from the Mughal Empire.However, to Huang Zijia's astonishment, the officials of the Mughal Empire who came to welcome him sat quietly under a large tent not far away, waiting for his arrival.

These Indians were performing this ceremony in their own way, which was completely different from the warm welcome Huang Zijia and others had expected, and made people feel that they were being contemptuous for no reason.

Huang Zijia immediately expressed his dissatisfaction to the officials of the Mughal Empire through the officials of his entourage, saying that the other party's move was the greatest disrespect to the Daqi Kingdom.

In fact, the officials of the Mughal Empire did not disrespect the envoys of the Qi State, but their culture is like this. The entire empire officials are full of thoughts and behaviors of comfort and arrogance.Is it necessary to show such enthusiasm when welcoming an envoy from a "small country" coming from afar?
However, after Huang Zijia expressed his dissatisfaction, it may be because of the hot weather that the Mughal Empire officials did not want to be exposed to the sun in the open area of ​​the pier, or it may be to show the graceful attitude of a big country.Those imperial officials who came to greet them stood up slowly, and stepped forward to welcome the arrival of the Qi State Mission.

However, Huang Zijia believed that this was a good start. In the formal communication with the Mughal Empire, Qi State achieved a small victory in the first matter.However, problems keep popping up one after another.Officials of the Mughal Empire had to conduct routine customs checks for Qi Chinese, which is what every foreigner must go through when arriving in India.

However, Huang Zijia expressed objection to this, and sternly rejected the unreasonable demands of the Mughals.He claimed that the entire mission represented the Daqi Kingdom, and that he and the king he represented deserved the respect a king deserved.For this reason, Huang Zijia and other members of the mission returned to the ship angrily to protest.

This time, the officials of the Mughal Empire compromised again. They stated that Huang Zijia and other members of the mission did not need to undergo customs inspection, and the accompanying items and gifts presented to the emperor of the Mughal Empire would not be inspected, and they would all be allowed to pass through the customs.

In fact, Huang Zijia and other members of the mission had carefully calculated and planned all possible events before coming to India.The purpose of their trip is not only to sign a treaty with the Mughal Empire to facilitate trade between the two sides, but also to change the arrogant and contemptuous attitude of this old empire, and to establish a strong and confident external image of Qi. Performance.

The city of Surat has a rich history and was an important city hundreds of years ago.In Indian history, Gopi, a Brahmin, built the city of Surat and contributed to the prosperity of the city. Later, he became the prime minister of the Gujarat Sultan Kingdom.

In 1573, the Mughal Emperor Akbar took advantage of the civil strife in the Gujarat Kingdom and personally led his troops to conquer the kingdom, and the city of Surat has since fallen under the jurisdiction of the Mughal Empire.Today, Surat is the most important port of the Mughal Empire, a prosperous international trade center, and the empire's mint is also located in this important city.

During the half-month stay in Surat, Huang Zijia almost visited the city once.The Dabuti River runs through the city, and tropical trees line the buildings and the river.There are many Hindu and Shinshin temples, and the castle with brick tower structure is very gorgeous, and the whole city looks beautiful.

Surat is a traditional center of small industries and cottage industries in India. The cotton and silk textile industry is relatively developed. In addition, there are many small industries such as small machinery processing, paper making, rice milling, soap making, carpet making and brick and tile.

There are many open-air markets in the city center, where countless merchants trade freely and they bargain.Among these people were not only native Indian businessmen, but also many businessmen from nearby countries and regions, such as Ottomans, Persia, and Armenia, and some from the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United Kingdom in Europe.

Indigenous Indians mostly wear white cotton clothing that suits Surat's hot tropical climate.Therefore, there are almost no leather and woolen clothing here, but the sporadic luxury businessmen and noble officials are dressed in exquisite Hanzhou colored cotton cloth, which somewhat makes Huang Zijia and other missionary staff feel a little happy.

Surat's wealth is beyond the expectations of Huang Zijia and others.Most of the residents here live in solid houses made of bricks and lime. Almost every door and window has bamboo curtains. Even some luxury princes and wealthy merchants have windows decorated with glass.In this period, this is a very luxurious thing.Even in Hanzhou, where a large number of glass products are produced, only royal palaces, government departments, important educational institutions, and scientific research institutions will decorate glass windows.

However, on those relatively remote streets in Surat, Huang Zijia still saw many poor Indian peasant families, dressed in rags, living in low thatched houses. They may not even be able to eat. There are obvious signs of malnutrition, and the naked body also shows striking ribs and slender hands and feet.

Surat's prosperity comes from its superior geographical location, because merchant ships entering India from the west coast stop here for transshipment and enter the depths of the Indian mainland.Especially in the 16th century, when the Dutch and Portuguese arrived, they obtained spices, precious gems, hawksbill shells and wood from Ceylon and the East Indies, and they often used Surat as a transit point to stop and rest. Gradually, they also began to Started a business with native Indians.

Before the arrival of the British, as the first Portuguese to arrive in India, they had occupied here for a long time and obtained huge wealth here.

In the previous decades, the reason why the Portuguese were able to maintain a good relationship with the Mughal Empire was that every year a large number of pilgrims from India crossed the Arabian Sea by sea to the holy land of Mecca.The rampant pirates seriously hindered the pilgrimage.The Portuguese, with their powerful navy, promised to escort the pilgrimage ships, and in exchange, the empire facilitated trade between the two countries.

However, in 1613, the British who rushed to India rashly defeated the seemingly powerful Portuguese fleet with only two armed merchant ships in front of many Indian princes and local governors. The relationship between Portugal and India, which has some contradictions, has become delicate.

It turned out that the Portuguese, who looked quite powerful at sea, were not that powerful.

Therefore, in order to check and balance the power of the Portuguese, the Indians quickly accepted the British, allowing them to establish a trading station in Surat, and also granted a concession. British merchants can not only conduct trade activities freely in Surat, but also Self-defense weapons can be held to protect oneself from harm.

"Therefore, the British have an extraordinary commercial status in Surat. More importantly, the British established a very close relationship with a prince who was conferred here by the Mughal Empire more than 30 years ago. " A shopkeeper of an Indian trading company looked at Huang Zijia with a wry smile, "And this prince finally became the emperor of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan."

"The British prevented us from going to the capital of the Mughal Empire to meet Shah Jahan. Does your Indian trading company have a good way to solve this problem?" Huang Zijia asked with a frown.

"We can spend a lot of money to bribe a local official, asking them to send an official document to the capital of the Mughal Empire, conveying the news that our Qi State Mission has arrived in Surat. I think this may allow us to go around Obtained the chance to meet directly with their emperor through the obstruction of Governor Surat."

"No matter how much money we spend, we have to go to Agra, the capital of the empire, to meet their emperor." Huang Zijia stared at the shopkeeper, and said word by word: "Mobilize all of you in the city of Surat!" Relationship and resources, get this matter done as soon as possible. After the matter is completed, submit your expense list to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and write it off when the profits and dividends are handed over at the end of the year."

"Yes, my lord."
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August 8th, India, Agra Red Fort, Audience Hall.

Huang Zijia, the envoy of the Qi State, led by two Mughal imperial court guards, passed through the palace walls, and finally came to this resplendent audience hall. Bend down, bow to Shah Jahan, the emperor of the Mughal Empire sitting on the high throne, and at the same time offer King Qitian's cordial greetings and compliments to the emperor.

According to regulations, the emperor of the Mughal Empire would spend two hours a day to meet officials and foreign envoys, and the whole process had strict regulations.Under normal circumstances, the interviewees are arranged in three areas separated by fences. Ordinary businessmen and common people stand in the first area, general officials stand in the second area, and nobles and foreign envoys stand in the last area. The third area close to the emperor's location.

It has been 25 years since Shah Jahan succeeded the emperor of the Mughal Empire. In the last years of his father Jahangir's reign, the Mughal Empire began to face a series of challenges, but Shah Jahan successfully dealt with these challenges and achieved success. stabilized the situation.

He suppressed the anti-Japanese rebellion in Ahmednagar; captured the Portuguese stronghold Hooghly on the east coast of India in Bengal, and repelled the invasion of Portuguese forces; in the west, annexed the Rajputs The dynasty established - the Mewar Kingdom; in the Deccan Plateau, it occupied half of the territory of the Kingdom of Bijapur and Gaokanda; in the northwest, it crossed its forces over the Khyber Pass.

Shah Jahan followed the Sunni teachings, promoted the law of the true God in the country, gradually began to change the religious tolerance policy of Akbar, discriminated against and persecuted Hindus, especially opposed Catholicism, and did not allow the construction of churches.During his reign, the economy developed and the treasury was filled. A large number of palaces, tombs, and mosques were built, especially the majestic and gorgeous tomb built for his concubine Taj Mahal, which can be called "the pinnacle of Mughal architecture."

During this period, the Mughal Empire was slowly rising until his successor, the Aurangzeb era, pushed the Mughal Empire to its peak (but then it was prosperous and declined quickly. fall apart).

Shah Jahan, the emperor of the Mughal Empire, conveyed his greetings to the King of Qi through an interpreter very politely, and said cordially that the two countries are friendly states across thousands of miles of sea routes. In terms of politics, economy, religion and culture, we should Communicate with each other and provide each other with due help.

Huang Zijia presented Shah Jahan with gifts from the King of Qi, a beautifully decorated sharp steel knife, two delicate clocks, fifty precious South Sea pearls, and three pairs of adult-sized mirrors (six pair, three pairs were damaged on the way), ten pieces of exquisite cloisonne and ten pieces of imitation Jingdezhen celadon, one hundred pieces of colorful cotton cloth produced in Hanzhou, and a luxuriously decorated Hanzhou four-wheeled carriage.

Except for the special products of Hanzhou, most of these gifts are produced by the advanced industries of Qi State. When Shah Jahan faced these exquisite handicraft products, he immediately attracted his attention.The steel knife quilt can be worn on the body, the clock is also placed on the imperial case in the main hall, the clearly visible mirror is also ordered to be placed in the bedroom, and other precious gifts are also carefully placed by the palace attendants. Stop at the Jahangir Palace.

The emperor of the Mughal Empire, who liked to put on extravagant pomp inside and outside the palace, and was also keen on various luxurious enjoyments, was obviously very satisfied with the gifts presented by Qi.As an envoy of the Qi State, it is very important to gain the emperor's love and trust in the subsequent cooperation negotiations and the signing of commercial and trade treaties.In the first meeting between the two parties, the envoy of Qi State undoubtedly left a very good impression on the other party.

Although Qi State is a "small" country in the far south, its actions are much more generous than those Western countries.In addition, this country can also produce many exquisite and practical industrial products, filling many gaps in the domestic market. If economic and trade exchanges with it are further strengthened, the great Mughal Empire will obtain more trade goods and prosper the imperial market.

After this meeting, Shah Jahan immediately ordered the minister in charge of domestic commercial affairs to conduct "frank and serious" negotiations with the Qi State Mission on increasing trade cooperation between the two sides and deepening friendly exchanges between the two sides. At the same time, Qi Guo proposed to establish a trading station in the northwest coastal area, and agreed in principle.

"I heard from some businessmen that Qi State can produce powerful siege artillery, is that true?" When Huang Zijia was about to finish his meeting with the Mughal emperor and was about to turn around and leave, he sat down The eldest prince Dara Shuke on one side suddenly asked.

"Yes, Your Royal Highness." Huang Zijia bowed and saluted.

"So, can you ship a batch for us?" Dara Shuke showed a smile on his face, "Our empire needs to use these powerful siege artillery in Kandahar. For this, we will pay to satisfy you remuneration."

　Note: In 1653, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan sent his eldest prince Dara Shuko to launch the third offensive against Kandahar in order to seize this important city in Central Asia controlled by the Persians.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)